Good points on being minimalist vs being a cheapskate in this Lifehacker post.
I’ve always been firmly in the camp that being minimalist doesn’t mean having cheap shit. If you use something constantly, having that thing be high quality will usually provide improved efficiency, comfort, and overall quality of life.
Nothing wrong with having nice things; just make sure you use them.
Rethink Your Stuff: What to Splurge On, What to Toss — Lifehacker
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Leo’s got a great new piece up over on zen habits all about procrastination.
Procrastination is something I struggle with constantly with writing, even though I love writing and it’s hard to stop once I’ve started. It’s fear-based, ya know? I’m putting myself into this work and the thought of people not liking it (and not liking me by association), can be paralyzing.
Here’s some tips on what you can do about it:
The Little Book of Procrastination Remedies — zen habits
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Great piece by Courtney Carver over at Be More With Less that tackles what minimalism means to different folks. I chose to reduce my belongings down to 100, but I’ve tried to be clear that I don’t think that makes me a “better” minimalist than anyone else. It’s not a competition, as Courtney points out (and as I’ve pointed out).
Courtney’s opening paragraph hits home:
Sometimes people think that living more simply and becoming a minimalist means giving everything away and living with nothing. What it really means is living with what is most important to you.
Less is Not Nothing — Be More With Less
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This is timely since I’ve been walking around barefoot quite a bit lately. Of course, most of my walking is down on the beach or the boardwalk right where I live, so it’s a little different from going out to your favorite restaurant with no shoes on.
Barefoot professor in Virginia preaches shoelessness – Washington Post
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Great list from some of my favorites, such as Leo Babauta, Chris Guillebeau, and Everett Bogue (who I recently interviewed).
21 Simplicity Tips from the World’s Most Popular Bloggers — livesimp.ly
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Check out this uplifting conversation to learn why happiness is defined by how little you have, how the myths of popular culture are being busted, and why Everett and I don’t believe in planning for the future…
Far Beyond Being Minimalist: A Conversation with Everett Bogue — Minimalist Journey
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In the interest of pushing the minimalist envelope, I recently picked up an Amazon Kindle
Over on Minimalist Journey, I talked about the process of transitioning from a large number of books down to just a few. The Kindle was the next logical step.
What I like:
Pretty inexpensive at $139 for the version with built-in wi-fi
Easy to read, even in bright sunlight. I take it to the beach a few times a week.
It feels good in my hands.
Integrated wi-fi works well. I was able to connect it to my wi-fi at home with no trouble at all.
Built-in, context-sensitive dictionary. This means that you can highlight a word and the definition will appear just under the text. Very cool. It’s also searchable, so you can just look up any random word if you like.
What I don’t like:
The screen refreshes slowly when you turn pages. It doesn’t hurt the experience, but if you’re used to iBooks on an iPhone or iPad, you will notice the difference.
The books are a little pricey. So far, everything I’ve bought has been $8.99 or $9.99. That’s not ridiculous, but it still feels like a bit much.
The keyboard could be better. The buttons are pretty small and not the most responsive.
Overall:
A great solution if you’re looking to condense your book collection and take your library anywhere.
Amazon Kindle Wireless Reading Device — Amazon
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Ok, I’ve been following this stuff for awhile, but I’ve never seen any kind of deal like this. These 17 eBooks on being minimalist would usually cost over $200. Karol Gajda has somehow put together top work from some of the best minimalist authors for just $27. Crazy, but true.
I can personally vouch for several of these. If it sounds like your thing, check it out at the link below.
3-Day Minimalist Book Sale — Ridiculously Extraordinary
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I enjoyed the writing, but I gotta be honest and say that my favorite aspect was the layout and the imagery. Really powerful, design-y stuff.
Neo-Minimalism and the Rise of the Technomads — Boing Boing
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